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1955 Masters Tournament

Coordinates: 33°30′11″N 82°01′12″W / 33.503°N 82.020°W / 33.503; -82.020
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1955 Masters Tournament
Front cover of the 1955 Masters Guide
Tournament information
DatesApril 7–10, 1955
LocationAugusta, Georgia
33°30′11″N 82°01′12″W / 33.503°N 82.020°W / 33.503; -82.020
Course(s)Augusta National Golf Club
Organized byAugusta National Golf Club
Tour(s)PGA Tour
Statistics
Par72
Length6,950 yards (6,355 m)[1]
Field78 players
CutNone
Prize fund$25,000
Winner's share$5,000
Champion
United States Cary Middlecoff
279 (−9)
Location map
Augusta National is located in the United States
Augusta National
Augusta National
Location in the United States
Augusta National is located in Georgia
Augusta National
Augusta National
Location in Georgia
← 1954
1956 →

The 1955 Masters Tournament was the 19th Masters Tournament, held April 7–10 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. It was the last one before CBS began televising the tournament the following year.

Cary Middlecoff shot a 65 in the second round, including a then-record 31 on the first nine, to win his only Masters, seven strokes ahead of runner-up Ben Hogan,[2][3] and the second of his three major championships.

After a third round at even-par 72, Middlecoff entered the final round with a four shot lead over Hogan, the champion in 1951 and 1953.[4][5] The victory margin of seven strokes was a tournament record for ten years, until Jack Nicklaus won by nine strokes over Arnold Palmer and Gary Player in 1965, later increased to twelve in 1997 by Tiger Woods. The previous record was five strokes, set in 1948 by Claude Harmon and tied by Hogan in 1953. The runner-up finish was Hogan's fourth at the Masters.

Arnold Palmer, a professional for less than a year, finished tied for tenth in his first Masters.[6]

The Sarazen Bridge, approaching the left side of the 15th green, was dedicated on Wednesday to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Gene Sarazen's double eagle in 1935.[7][8][9] Included was a contest to duplicate the 232-yard (212 m) shot, with the closest by Fred Haas at 4 feet 1 inch (1.24 m) away.[10]

Course

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Main article: Augusta National Golf Club
Hole Name Yards Par Hole Name Yards Par
1 White Pine 400 4 10 Camellia 470 4
2 Woodbine 555 5 11 Dogwood 445 4
3 Flowering Peach 355 4 12 Golden Bell 155 3
4 Palm 220 3 13 Azalea 470 5
5 Magnolia 450 4 14 Spanish Dagger 420 4
6 Juniper 190 3 15 Firethorn 505 5
7 Pampas 365 4 16 Redbud 190 3
8 Yellow Jasmine 520 5 17 Nandina 400 4
9 Carolina Cherry 420 4 18 Holly 420 4
Out 3,475 36 In 3,475 36
Source:[1] Total 6,950 72

^ Holes 1, 2, 4, 11, and 14 were later renamed.

Field

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1. Masters champions

Claude Harmon (10), Ben Hogan (2,4,6,9,10), Herman Keiser, Byron Nelson (2,6,9), Henry Picard (6), Gene Sarazen (2,4,6), Horton Smith, Sam Snead (4,6,9,10,12), Craig Wood (2)

2. U.S. Open champions

Julius Boros (9,10), Billy Burke, Johnny Farrell, Ed Furgol (10), Lawson Little (3,5), Tony Manero, Lloyd Mangrum (9,10), Fred McLeod, Cary Middlecoff (9,10,12), Sam Parks Jr., Lew Worsham (9,10)

3. U.S. Amateur champions

Ted Bishop (a), Dick Chapman (5,9,10,a), Charles Coe (9,a), Gene Littler (9,10), Billy Maxwell, Arnold Palmer (11), Skee Riegel (9), Jess Sweetser (5,a), Bud Ward

4. British Open champions

Jock Hutchison (6), Denny Shute (6)

5. British Amateur champions

Frank Stranahan, Robert Sweeny Jr. (11,a), Harvie Ward (8,9,a)

6. PGA champions

Walter Burkemo (9,12), Vic Ghezzi, Chick Harbert (9,12), Chandler Harper, Johnny Revolta, Jim Turnesa

7. Members of the U.S. 1955 Ryder Cup team
  • Team not selected in time for inclusion
8. Members of the U.S. 1955 Walker Cup team

Rex Baxter (a), William C. Campbell (10,a), Don Cherry (11,a), Joe Conrad (a), Bruce Cudd (a), Jimmy Jackson (a), Ed Meister (11,a), Dale Morey (11,a), Billy Joe Patton (9,10,a), Hillman Robbins (a)

  • Dick Yost (a) did not play. Baxter, Meister and Robbins were reserves for the team.
9. Top 24 players and ties from the 1954 Masters Tournament

Jerry Barber (12), Al Besselink, Tommy Bolt (10,12), Jack Burke Jr. (10), Pete Cooper, Marty Furgol (10), Jay Hebert (10), Ed Oliver, Bob Rosburg, Earl Stewart, Bob Toski (10)

10. Top 24 players and ties from the 1954 U.S. Open

Max Evans, Leland Gibson, Fred Haas, Dick Mayer, Shelley Mayfield (12), Al Mengert, Johnny Weitzel

11. 1954 U.S. Amateur quarter-finalists

Ted Lenczyk (a), Davis Love Jr. (a)

12. 1954 PGA Championship quarter-finalists
13. One amateur, not already qualified, selected by a ballot of ex-U.S. Amateur champions

Bill Goodloe (a)

14. One professional, not already qualified, selected by a ballot of ex-U.S. Open champions

Johnny Palmer

15. Two players, not already qualified, from a points list based on finishes in the winter part of the 1955 PGA Tour

Mike Souchak, Bo Wininger[11]

16. Foreign invitations

Pat Fletcher, Rudy Horvath (10), Stan Leonard, Peter Thomson (4,9)

  • Numbers in brackets indicate categories that the player would have qualified under had they been American.

Round summaries

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First round

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Thursday, April 7, 1955

Place Player Score To par
1 United States Jack Burke Jr. 67 −5
T2 United States Julius Boros 71 −1
United States Mike Souchak
T4 United States Cary Middlecoff 72 E
United States Byron Nelson
United States Bob Rosburg
United States Sam Snead
T8 United States Walter Burkemo 73 +1
United States Pete Cooper
United States Ben Hogan
United States Skee Riegel

Source:[12]

Second round

[edit]

Friday, April 8, 1955

Place Player Score To par
1 United States Cary Middlecoff 72-65=137 −7
2 United States Ben Hogan 73-68=141 −3
T3 United States Jack Burke Jr. 67-76=143 −1
United States Sam Snead 72-71=143
5 United States Bob Rosburg 72-72=144 E
6 United States Mike Souchak 71-74=145 +1
T7 United States Tommy Bolt 76-70=146 +2
United States Julius Boros 71-75=146
United States Walter Burkemo 73-73=146
United States Pete Cooper 73-73=146
United States Ed Furgol 74-72=146
United States Skee Riegel 73-73=146
United States Harvie Ward (a) 77-69=146

Source:[13]

Third round

[edit]

Saturday, April 9, 1955

Place Player Score To par
1 United States Cary Middlecoff 72-65-72=209 −7
2 United States Ben Hogan 73-68-72=213 −3
3 United States Jack Burke Jr. 67-76-71=214 −2
4 United States Bob Rosburg 72-72-72=216 E
T5 United States Sam Snead 72-71-74=217 +1
United States Mike Souchak 71-74-72=217
T7 United States Julius Boros 71-75-72=218 +2
United States Walter Burkemo 73-73-72=218
Canada Stan Leonard 77-73-68=218
T10 United States Lloyd Mangrum 74-73-72=219 +3
United States Skee Riegel 73-73-73=219

Source:[4][5]

Final round

[edit]

Sunday, April 10, 1955

Final leaderboard

[edit]
Champion
Silver Cup winner (low amateur)
(a) = amateur
(c) = past champion
Top 10
Place Player Score To par Money (US$)
1 United States Cary Middlecoff 72-65-72-70=279 −9 5,000
2 United States Ben Hogan (c) 73-68-72-73=286 −2 3,125
3 United States Sam Snead (c) 72-71-74-70=287 −1 2,125
T4 United States Julius Boros 71-75-72-71=289 +1 1,333
United States Bob Rosburg 72-72-72-73=289
United States Mike Souchak 71-74-72-72=289
7 United States Lloyd Mangrum 74-73-72-72=291 +3 875
T8 Canada Stan Leonard 77-73-68-74=292 +4 813
United States Harvie Ward (a) 77-69-75-71=292 0
T10 United States Dick Mayer 78-72-72-71=293 +5 696
United States Byron Nelson (c) 72-75-74-72=293
United States Arnold Palmer 76-76-72-69=293

Sources:[14][15]

Scorecard

[edit]
Hole   1     2     3     4     5     6     7     8     9    10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18 
Par 4 5 4 3 4 3 4 5 4 4 4 3 5 4 5 3 4 4
United States Middlecoff −7 −8 −8 −8 −7 −8 −9 −9 −9 −7 −7 −8 −8 −8 −9 −9 −8 −9
United States Hogan −3 −3 −3 −3 −2 −2 −2 −3 −3 −2 −1 −1 −2 −2 −2 −2 −2 −2
United States Snead E E E E E +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1 E E −1 −1 −1 −1
United States Boros +2 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3 +4 +4 +4 +4 +4 +4 +3 +3 +2 +1 +1 +1
United States Rosburg +1 +1 +1 +2 +3 +3 +3 +3 +3 +3 +3 +3 +2 +3 +1 +1 +1 +1
United States Souchak +1 E E E E E E −1 E E E E +1 +1 E +1 +1 +1
United States Burke −1 −1 −1 −1 −1 −1 −1 −1 −1 E E +1 +5 +5 +5 +5 +6 +6

Cumulative tournament scores, relative to par

Eagle Birdie Bogey Double bogey Triple bogey +

References

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  1. ^ a b Wind, Herbert Warren (April 4, 1955). "The Augusta National: a hole by hole study". Sports Illustrated. p. 20.
  2. ^ Bartlett, Charles (April 11, 1955). "Middlecoff's 279 wins Masters golf". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 1, part 4.
  3. ^ Wind, Herbert Warren (April 18, 1955). "The Doc shows the Masters how". Sports Illustrated. p. 58.
  4. ^ a b Bartlett, Charles (April 10, 1955). "Middlecoff's 209 holds Masters lead; 18 to go". Chicago Sunday Tribune. p. 1, part 2.
  5. ^ a b Fullerton, Hugh Jr. (April 10, 1955). "Careful Cary's 72 holds Ben 4 back". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. p. 1, sports.
  6. ^ "Middlecoff wins Masters with 279". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. April 11, 1955. p. 22.
  7. ^ "Special day for golfdom's Squire". Chicago Daily Tribune. United Press photo. April 7, 1955. p. 1, sec. 6.
  8. ^ Bartlett, Charles (April 7, 1955). "That historic double eagle". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 1, sec. 6.
  9. ^ "The Sarazen Bridge". masters.com. Retrieved March 13, 2017.
  10. ^ "Haas closest to Sarazen's double eagle". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. April 7, 1955. p. 18.
  11. ^ "Wininger closes Masters field". The Pittsburgh Press. April 4, 1955. p. 23.
  12. ^ Bartlett, Charles (April 8, 1955). "Burke's 67 leads Masters; Snead has 72". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 1, part 4.
  13. ^ Bartlett, Charles (April 9, 1955). "Middlecoff's 137 takes lead in Masters". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 1, part 3.
  14. ^ "Masters – Past Winners & Results". Augusta National Inc. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  15. ^ "Past results – Masters tournament". PGA Tour. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
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